This could be the oldest valentine! Written in 1477 by Margery Brews to John Paston, the man she was going to marry. It is in English, but in early secretary hand. There is a translation here
Ah, thanks Aliantha. I'm not too clever with instructions that don't begin "Turn on your computer"! I thought it was awsome too. The other letters are also fantastic. They give so much insight into the 15th century.
Unfortunately the text version doesn't include the original spelling, which is IMHO part of the beauty of the thing. The four words before voluntyne read:
"And my ryght wel(e)beloved Voluntyne" Not sure about the "e" in the middle of "wel(e)beloved" - the translation has a hyphen, but it doesn't look like a hyphen either!
The date is at the bottom Feb 1476.7 (the year then ended on 24 March, so in our time it would be 1477) followed by 16 Edr (16th year of the reign of Edward [IV]).
"The Cheat is GROUNDED! We had that lightswitch installed for you so you could turn the lights on and off, not so you could throw lightswitch raves!"
***************************************
- I'm always all right.
- Is all right special Time Lord code for really not all right at all?
- You're all irresponsible fools!
- The Doctor: But we're very experienced irresponsible fools.
Edit: Aaand I apparently passed 4500 posts in this last posting spree.
"The Cheat is GROUNDED! We had that lightswitch installed for you so you could turn the lights on and off, not so you could throw lightswitch raves!"
***************************************
- I'm always all right.
- Is all right special Time Lord code for really not all right at all?
- You're all irresponsible fools!
- The Doctor: But we're very experienced irresponsible fools.
"The Cheat is GROUNDED! We had that lightswitch installed for you so you could turn the lights on and off, not so you could throw lightswitch raves!"
***************************************
- I'm always all right.
- Is all right special Time Lord code for really not all right at all?
- You're all irresponsible fools!
- The Doctor: But we're very experienced irresponsible fools.
Menolly wrote:sqrt(cos(x))*cos(200 x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)*(4-x*x)^0.01,sqrt(9-x^2),-sqrt(9-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5
awesomeness!
"People without hope not only don't write novels, but what is more to the point, they don't read them.
They don't take long looks at anything, because they lack the courage.
The way to despair is to refuse to have any kind of experience, and the novel, of course, is a way to have experience."
-Flannery O'Connor
"In spite of much that militates against quietness there are people who still read books. They are the people who keep me going."
-Elisabeth Elliot, Preface, "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"